US20070270765A1 - Arrangement for the coupling of an intravenous tube with infusion pump - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an arrangement to couple an intravenous hose having a roller clamp with an infusion pump. A hose clamp has clamping surfaces in the form of legs which can move relative one another about a hinge, the legs being enveloped on their outside by a biased clamping spring, and the device is formed by an expander rib that is fastened on the inside of the door and can be brought into engagement with the legs of the hose clamp so to produce the open position after closing the door to expand the legs. The housing has a receiver, into which the hose clamp can be snapped, and that a locking device is present in the housing that prevents the closing of the door if the hose clamp is not inserted into the receiver and permits the closing of the door when the hose clamp is fully inserted.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention
• The invention concerns an arrangement for coupling an intravenous hose having a roller clamp with an infusion pump with a housing to deliver a medicinal solution to a patient.
• 2. Description of the Related Art
• An arrangement for coupling an intravenous hose with an infusion pump is known from EP 238 227 B1. This, however, requires a clamping part with a drop-shaped opening, through which the hose passes and is moved back and forth in this drop-shaped opening by a device between the open and closed position. In addition, a locking device has to be provided on the pump to place the clamping part with the pump initially in the closed position. In the case of this prior known device the intravenous hose has to be first threaded through the drop-shaped opening, for which purpose the hose has to be released at one end of the infusion set. The intravenous hose can also be inserted into the housing of the infusion pump without the hose clamp and following this the door of housing can be closed. A person may have the impression that this arrangement is ready for operation, thus resulting in improper operation.
• The provides the operators, such as carers, nurses and doctors with a system or an arrangement, or to improve the arrangement mentioned in the introduction in such a manner, that an uncontrolled delivery of infusion solutions of any kind to the patient will be ruled out. In other words, improper operations by the operating personnel should be prevented as far as possible.
• According to the invention, the arrangement mentioned in the introduction will be achieved by that the hose clamp has clamping surfaces in the form of legs which can move relative one another about a hinge, the legs being enveloped on their outside by a biased clamping spring, and that the device is formed by an expander rib that is fastened on the inside of the door and can be brought into engagement with the legs of the hose clamp so that to produce the open position after closing the door to expand the legs, and that the housing has a receiver, into which the hose clamp can be snapped, and that a locking device is present in the housing that prevents the closing of the door if the hose clamp is not inserted into the receiver and permits the closing of the door when the hose clamp is fully inserted.
• The arrangement according to the invention has also a simple construction and therefore can be produced economically, while it also ensures the exclusion of risk potential caused by improper operation.
• In the following a preferred embodiment is explained in detail based on the drawing so that to achieve a better understanding of the invention. It has to be clarified, however, that the invention is not limited to this embodiment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The invention provides an arrangement for coupling an intravenous hose having a roller clamp with an infusion pump with a housing to deliver a medicinal solution to a patient, comprising:
• a hose clamp that can be coupled with the intravenous hose and can be displaced between an open position, in which the medicinal solution can flow through the hose, and a closed position, in which the hose is closed by the hose clamp,
• a device mounted on the door or lid of the housing, that can be engaged with the hose clamp to bring it to the open position from the closed position, wherein
• the hose clamp has clamping surfaces in the form of legs which can move relative one another about a hinge, the legs being enveloped on their outside by a biased clamping spring,
• wherein the device is formed by an expander rib that is fastened on the inside of the door and can be brought into engagement with the legs of the hose clamp so that to produce the open position after closing the door to expand the legs,
• wherein the housing has a receiver, into which the hose clamp can be snapped,
• and wherein a locking device is present in the housing that prevents the closing of the door if the hose clamp is not inserted into the receiver and permits the closing of the door when the hose clamp is fully inserted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the arrangement according to the invention.
• FIG. 1A is a perspective illustration of the arrangement according to the invention, with the door of the infusion pump open prior to starting up.
• FIG. 1B is a schematic perspective illustration of a detail ofFIG. 1, enlarged.
• FIG. 2 is a further schematic perspective illustration of a detail ofFIG. 1, enlarged.
• FIG. 3 is a further schematic perspective illustration of the receiver with the locking slide, in a detail from the interior of the pump.
• FIG. 4 is a further schematic perspective illustration of the spring-loaded locking slide.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic detailed view, similar toFIG. 2, but with the hose clamp locked in the receiver, with the door opened.
• FIG. 5A is a further schematic perspective view in detail, wherein parts are removed and the door is swung upward, while the locking slide does not yet lie on the stop rib.
• FIG. 5B is a schematic view, similar toFIG. 5A, but with the door closed and the legs of the hose clamp are spread apart by the expander rib, so that the hose can be flown through freely.
• FIG. 5C is a further schematic perspective illustration in a detail, wherein the door is illustrated partly cut away during the opening process.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the arrangement according to the invention with the hose inserted without hose clamp, so that the door is not fully closed.
• FIG. 6A is a schematic perspective illustration in detail with partly cut away door, that due to locking slide, pressing against the stop, is not closed.
• FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective illustration of a portion of the pump housing with safety magnets.
• FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective illustration of the hose clamp according to the invention with a steel bending spring.
• FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective illustration of the receiver or the insert module with printed circuit board and sensor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• The overall arrangement according to the invention is designated inFIG. 1 by10. It comprises the usual infusion set8 with a drip chamber9 having an insertion mandrel, that is inserted into aninfusion flask6 containing the medicinal solution, and ahose clamp11 for thehose12 and aninfusion pump14, provided in a housing.
• When usingvolumetric infusion pumps14, theroller clamp11 has only the function to clamp thehose12 after the infusion has been prepared (connection of the infusion set with the infusion flask, filling and venting the set), so that to prevent the outflow of the fluid until thehose12 is secured in the drive of thepump14. After placing thehose12 into the pump and closing thedoor13 of the pump, thehose12 is clamped by the combination of the peristaltic drive and thepressure plate17. Theroller clamp11 of the infusion set is subsequently opened, and the system or thearrangement10 is checked to see whether thepump14 totally clamps thehose12.
• Thus during the feeding operation of thepump14 theroller clamp11 is fully open. If during the operation of the pump14 a person opens thedoor13 of the pump without previously closing theroller clamp11, will bring with it the danger that the infusion fluid will reach the patient without any control. To prevent this, thepump14 according to the invention is provided with a so called anti-free-flow hose clamp16. In this case after opening thedoor13 of the pump a closing device closes the intravenous hose off to prevent the flow.
• Following this the user has to close theroller clamp11 before thehose12 is removed from thepump14.
• As mentioned in the introduction, this is where the potential danger of some existing arrangements and systems become obvious, since thehose12, after its removal from thepump14, is continued to be closed off only when the user, as already described, had already closed theroller clamp11 on theinfusion set8. However, if the user has not closed theclamp11 and theinfusion set8 is removed from thepump14, the infusion solution will flow uncontrolled to the patient. Thus the patient is exposed to considerable danger due to an error in the operation of the infusion set and thepump14.
• To start up thearrangement10 according to the invention the following steps have to be carried out:
• 1. Preparation of the infusion set8:
• Theroller clamp11 is closed.
• The drip chamber9 is inserted into theinfusion flask6.
• The drip chamber9 is filled.
• Theroller clamp11 is opened and the infusion set is vented.
• Theroller clamp11 is closed.
• 2.Door13 of the pump is opened.
• 3. Theintravenous hose12 is placed horizontally into the pump14 (seeFIGS. 1A and 1B). Thehose clamp16 is placed into thereceiver15 provided for this purpose in the pump. Prior to placing thehose clamp16 into thereceiver15 of thepump14, theclamp16 is opened, i.e. at this stage thehose12 is clamped only by theclosed roller clamp11, however, thehose clamp16 is still open and consequently its position on thehose12 can be changed along the hose.
• With theclamp16 not being inserted, the locking device of thepump14, constructed as a lockingslide20, is biased by aspring23 against a bottom stop, that presses the pump14 (seeFIGS. 2 and 3).
• By inserting thehose clamp16 into thereceiver15 of thepump14 the lockingslide20 is pressed upwards in the direction of the arrow and retains this position (seeFIGS. 5 and 5A). At the same time thehose12 is secured in thepump14 and thehose clamp16 is pushed to the back of thereceiver15. Due to this thehose clamp16 is shifted in that region over thehose12, in which thehose clamp16 clamps thehose12.
• The closing of thedoor13 of the pump is shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B. Thedoor13 of the pump can be closed only when thehose clamp16 is inserted into the receiver and thus the lockingslide20 is pushed into its top position.
• FIG. 5A shows that thedoor13 can be closed now, since it is no longer blocked by the lockingslide20 abutting against thestop25.
• 4. To operate thepump14 it is necessary to open thehose clamp16, because when thedoor13 is closed thehose12 is unclamped between afixture17 in the form of a pressure plate of thedoor13 of the pump and the peristaltic drive, what is achieved by that after fully closing thedoor13 of the pump thehose clamp16 will be opened by anexpander rib18 situated in thedoor13, as this is indicated by arrows (seeFIGS. 5A and 5B).
• 5. After closing thedoor13 of the pump theroller clamp11 on the infusion set8 can be opened and the set can be checked by the peristaltis of the pump14 (the infusion solution must not flow) with regard to a total unclamping of thehose12. Thepump14 can be started up.
• To properly terminate the operation of thepump14 the following procedure is carried out:
• 1. Theroller clamp11 is closed.
• 2. Thedoor13 of the pump is opened.
• By opening thedoor13 of the pump thehose clamp16 is automatically closed, because theexpander rib18 of thedoor13 no longer will keep theclamp16 open. Thus thehose clamp16 will clamp thehose12 again automatically due to the pressure of thesteel spring21 mounted on thehose clamp16, as this is indicated by the arrows inFIG. 5C.
• 3. Thehose12 with thehose clamp16 is removed from thepump14.
• 4. After opening thedoor13 thehose12 with theclamp16 and thespring21 can be removed from thepump14. Thehose clamp16 with thespring21 is removed from thereceiver15, whereby the lockingslide20 is pushed back to its initial position by the spring (FIG. 2).
• Thus, when properly operated, thearrangement10 according to the invention with theinfusion pump14 is secured against an uncontrolled flow or so called “free flow” of the infusion solution to the patient by the manually closedroller clamp11 on the one hand and by the automatic clamping of thehose clamp16 on the other.
• The operation of theinfusion pump14 can be incorrectly terminated by various means.
• If, for example,door13 of the pump is opened without the operator previously manually closing theroller clamp11 on the infusion set8, thehose clamp16, as described above, closes thehose12 also automatically.
• A further possible cause of maloperation is the starting up of theinfusion pump14 without thehose clamp16. The decisive improvement of thearrangement10 according to the invention is that theinfusion pump14 cannot be operated without thehose clamp16 with thespring21 being inserted. This will be ensured by that thedoor13 of the pump cannot be fully closed (seeFIGS. 6 and 6A) if thehose clamp16 with thespring21 had not been inserted into thereceiver15.
• If thehose clamping unit16/21 is not inserted into thereceiver15, the lockingslide20 is pressed by the spring to the bottom end position (cf. arrow inFIG. 2). Thedoor13 cannot be closed because thestop rib25 on thedoor13 is exactly in the position of the lockingslide20 without thehose clamp16 being inserted (seeFIG. 6A).
• Since thedoor13 of the pump cannot be closed, thepump14 cannot be operated. Thus an unintended flow of the infusion solution to the patient is not possible, because the operator cannot close thedoor13 of the pump, and consequently will not open theroller clamp11, closed after the preparation of the infusion, either.
• Because thepump14 must not be stored with thedoor13 open, the door is held by two magnets in a position, wherein the stop rib abuts against the lockingslide20. While one of themagnets29,30 is provided in the bottom corner of the housing, the other is secured in the edge region of the door, as this is illustrated inFIG. 7.
• Moreover, thehose clamp16 of the embodiment, that as clamping surfaces haslegs19 that can move relative one another about ahinge17, is asymmetric and is enveloped on the outside surfaces of the legs by a clamping spring21 (seeFIG. 8). By virtue of this the operator cannot insert the infusion set8 incorrectly reversed, i.e. against the direction of pumping.
• In an advantageous manner as additional safety a printedcircuit board27 with asensor28 is mounted on thereceiver15, that can also be described as an insertion module (cf.FIG. 9, in which the receiver is illustrated on its own). Thesensor28 detects via thesteel spring21 on thehose clamp16, whether the clampingunit16/21 had been inserted into thereceiver15. Thepump14 can be started up only when thesensor28 emits the signal “hose clamp16 inserted”.

Claims (20)

1. An arrangement for coupling an intravenous hose having a roller clamp with an infusion pump with a housing to deliver a medicinal solution to a patient, comprising:

a hose clamp that can be coupled with the intravenous hose and can be displaced between an open position, in which the medicinal solution can flow through the hose, and a closed position, in which the hose is closed by the hose clamp,

a device mounted on the door or lid of the housing, that can be engaged with the hose clamp to bring it to the open position from the closed position, wherein

the hose clamp has clamping surfaces in the form of legs which can move relative one another about a hinge, the legs being enveloped on their outside by a biased clamping spring,

wherein the device is formed by an expander rib that is fastened on the inside of the door and can be brought into engagement with the legs of the hose clamp so that to produce the open position after closing the door to expand the legs,

wherein the housing has a receiver, into which the hose clamp can be snapped,

and wherein a locking device is present in the housing that prevents the closing of the door if the hose clamp is not inserted into the receiver and permits the closing of the door when the hose clamp is fully inserted.

2. The arrangement according toclaim 1, wherein the locking device is formed by a locking slide biased by means of a spring, said locking slide interacting with a stop on the inside of the door and slides on an inclined surface of same when the hose clamp is inserted into the infusion pump to bring about the open position and the door is closed.

3. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein in the region of the receiver a printed circuit board with a sensor is mounted, that detects whether the hose clamp is pushed in or not.

4. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein for the storage of the infusion pump when not in use a securing by magnets is provided, that holds the door closed, while the stop is provided on the locking slide.

5. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein the hose clamp can be snapped into the receiver in a form-locking manner.

6. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein horizontal hose guides are provided in the housing both on the entry and outlet sides.

7. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein the door extends almost over the entire width of the housing and can be pivoted upwards into the closed position.

8. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein the anti-free-flow hose clamp is positioned past the entry into the housing and before the drive of the infusion pump and is made from an injection moulded piece, the legs of which are enveloped by a metal clamping spring.

9. The arrangement according toclaim 1 wherein the hose comprises PVC or PVC-free having a Shore hardness A 75 to 85, an inside diameter of 3.0 mm and an outside diameter of 4.10 mm, and the clamping force of the hose clamp is minimum 10 N.

10. The arrangement according toclaim 1 comprising a volumetric infusion pump with a peristaltic drive.

11. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein in the region of the receiver a printed circuit board with a sensor is mounted, that detects whether the hose clamp is pushed in or not.

12. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein for the storage of the infusion pump when not in use a securing by magnets is provided, that holds the door closed, while the stop is provided on the locking slide.

13. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein the hose clamp can be snapped into the receiver in a form-locking manner.

14. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein horizontal hose guides are provided in the housing both on the entry and outlet sides.

15. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein the door extends almost over the entire width of the housing and can be pivoted upwards into the closed position.

16. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein the anti-free-flow hose clamp is positioned past the entry into the housing and before the drive of the infusion pump and is made from an injection moulded piece, the legs of which are enveloped by a metal clamping spring.

17. The arrangement according toclaim 2 wherein the hose comprises PVC or PVC-free having a Shore hardness A 75 to 85, an inside diameter of 3.0 mm and an outside diameter of 4.10 mm, and the clamping force of the hose clamp is minimum 10 N.

18. The arrangement according toclaim 2 comprising a volumetric infusion pump with a peristaltic drive.

19. The arrangement according toclaim 3 comprising a volumetric infusion pump with a peristaltic drive.

20. The arrangement according toclaim 1, wherein the locking device is formed by a locking slide biased by means of a spring, said locking slide interacting with a stop on the inside of the door and slides on an inclined surface of same when the hose clamp is inserted into the infusion pump to bring about the open position and the door is closed; and wherein in the region of the receiver a printed circuit board with a sensor is mounted, that detects whether the hose clamp is pushed in or not; and wherein for the storage of the infusion pump when not in use a securing by magnets is provided, that holds the door closed, while the stop is provided on the locking slide; and wherein the hose clamp can be snapped into the receiver in a form-locking manner; and wherein horizontal hose guides are provided in the housing both on the entry and outlet sides; and wherein the door extends almost over the entire width of the housing and can be pivoted upwards into the closed position; and wherein the anti-free-flow hose clamp is positioned past the entry into the housing and before the drive of the infusion pump and is made from an injection moulded piece, the legs of which are enveloped by a metal clamping spring; and wherein the hose comprises PVC or PVC-free having a Shore hardness A 75 to 85, an inside diameter of 3.0 mm and an outside diameter of 4.10 mm, and the clamping force of the hose clamp is minimum 10 N; and further comprising a volumetric infusion pump with a peristaltic drive.

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